Red Tail Sharks

[martiniduck]

Looking to add a red tail black shark to my tank. I have a 29G with mollies, platties, and corries. I have had shark before, but he only lived for a couple of months. I am not sure if it is the hard water, the food, the stress from living with the big bulling mollies, or just the shark was not a healthy.Can rtbs handle hard water? What type of foods do they prefer? I usually use Tropical flakes or crisps and freeze dried tubifex worms. My mollies tend to eat up most of the food before it hits the ground. I also drop in sinking pellets every other day for the bottom feeders. The shark seemed to have a hard time with the crisps so I switched to flakes. My mollies tend to dominate the tank. They are very tenacious , could this be too stressful for rtbs? They didn't chase him, they just are always a big presences in the tank.

 

[Ilikefishes]

My shark would rather eat the flakes then bottom feeder tabs. My water is hard and he is top notch. The mollies just may be stressing him out, and he may not have been getting sufficient to eat. Mine lives with tetras, rainbows, gold barbs, and a betta. My fish are pigs and he's usually the last to eat, but he still does well. I believe it just might be the mollies, or he was an unhealthy RTBS.

 

[Tivaala]

mine puts up with super hard water just fine. and he dosnt particuly like it when the goldfish go near his hiding spot but he glares at them and they leave. mine is a big bugger now but although he never comes out to the surface for food he gets plenty. (i use flakes mostly)

just make sure he has somewhere to make his, somewhere he can hide. something cavey.

 

[mgamer20o0]

will only be timid for so long.... as they get older they get highly aggressive and reach about 6 inch. think its a little big for just a 29 gallon tank.

 

[maxima423]

how many mollies do you have? if they do dominate the tank, than i suggest you dont get one, as it will probably be the same result as your other shark, just stick with more of the same kind =]

 

[HN1]

I tend to agree with them getting too big and aggressive. If you must, get a rainbow shark. They are very similar, but slightly more laid back. Longterm, I think it will cause problems though.

 

[martiniduck]

Thanks for all the advice. I have 4 mollies in the tank. I got the shark, because my 4 y/o daughter likes them. I got the tank for the two of us to have a hobby together. She wants replacement shark. I am looking to get a bigger tank down the line so it will have room to grown. Times are just tough right now. Thanks again.

 

[maxima423]

dang 4 dominate the tank that much? wow thats surprising lol

 

[martiniduck]

Yeah, they are very aggressive and own this tank.